The Gameweek 35+ Scout Picks sees another 3-5-2 line-up as the formation takes on increased popularity in the Fantasy Premier League community.
Several in-form midfield options are privileged enough to face obliging defences this weekend, while forward assets are struggling to live up to the billing.
As has been usual during Project Restart, the Scout Picks has been chosen purely by the editorial team, as we don’t currently have time for Scout Squad articles.
This week, we come in at £84.4m, £0.6m inside our budget of £85.0m.
Goalkeeper
Lukasz Fabianski (£4.9m) gets a rare spot in the Scout Picks as West Ham face Norwich this weekend. The Canaries have scored just once since the Premier League restarted while the Hammers’ goalkeeper has made 16 saves in that time, the second-highest in the division.
Defenders
Andrew Robertson (£7.0m) is our chosen Liverpool for the Gameweek 35+ meeting with Burnley. To some extent, he earns his place on account of his midweek rest now out of the way and an increased chance of a start on Saturday afternoon. However, his display against Brighton, and involvement in corners suggests the left-back is ready to rekindle his assist potential.
Craig Dawson (£4.8m) has had more shots in the box than any other Watford player in the last four matches. That makes him the prime candidate to punish a Newcastle side potentially short of Jamaal Lascelles again.
Willy Boly (£4.8m) has quietly become the most dangerous of the budget Wolves defenders since the Premier League returned. He has touched the ball six times in the penalty area compared to Romain Saïss’ one over the last five matches. While Nuno Espirito Santo’s men have lost two in a row now, they have still conceded the fewest number of big chances over the last four, which bodes well against an Everton side struggle for goals.
Midfielders
A classic Mohamed Salah (£12.5m) display against Brighton midweek has got the Fantasy community excited about him once again. He registered eight shots in the box at the Amex Stadium, which yielded his highest Gameweek score of the season (18 points). With the Golden Boot still in sight for the Egyptian, he faces a Burnley side that has conceded a minimum of three goals in three of their last four away trips to last season’s top-six.
Raheem Sterling (£11.7m) is one of only a few Manchester City attackers who looks assured of a start in Gameweek 35+, a big reason for his inclusion in the Scout Picks. But the premium midfielder is in decent form too, with three double-figure hauls since Gameweek 30+.
Bruno Fernandes (£9.0m) has quickly become the first name on every Scout Picks team-sheet. His third successive double-figure haul, recorded against Aston Villa, takes the Portuguese international to 94 points for the season, and he’s only played in 10 matches. If he were to continue at his current pace, an average of 9.4 points per game, a full season would have seen him smash the FPL record with a 357-point monster haul.
Anthony Martial (£8.3m) is included as part two of yet another Manchester United triple-up. The out-of-position FPL midfielder has scored or assisted in each of his last four at Old Trafford. Meanwhile, Southampton travel there having conceded the joint-second-highest number of big chances over the last four matches.
Provided he can hold onto the West Ham centre-forward berth, Michail Antonio‘s (£6.9m) recent form suggests he can be the key Fantasy asset when his team travels to Norwich. Only Salah has shot more times in the box across the last four matches, while his total of seven shots on target is also the division’s second-best total over the last four matches.
Forwards
Jamie Vardy (£9.8m) now has three goals in his last two appearances as Leicester have rediscovered their attacking threat. With the Golden Boot on the line, the forward has the benefit of facing Bournemouth’s defence, which has conceded more than any other since the Premier League returned.
Much like his midfield counterparts, Mason Greenwood (£4.7m) is fast-becoming an auto-include in the Scout Picks. Not only is his price exceptionally helpful for building a balanced side, but the budget man is also offering plenty in front of goal. Greenwood now has five goals in the last three matches, form which simply makes him undroppable for Manchester United.
Substitutes
Kasper Schmeichel (£5.4m) is our substitute goalkeeper this week as he prepares to face a Bournemouth attack that has blanked in three of their five Project Restart matches.
Romain Saïss (£4.7m) offers an alternative route into the Wolves defence for their Gameweek 35+ meeting with Everton.
Aaron Cresswell (£4.5m) is another option in the West Ham that can offer a higher chance of attacking returns compared to Fabianski. In the last four matches, he has produced six key passes for his colleagues, more than any other Hammers defender.
Olivier Giroud (£6.6m) has three goals to his name since the return of the Premier League and only Willian has more shots on target than him among Chelsea players over the last four.
The Captain
The Scout Picks has a captain for the 2019/20 campaign.
This skipper is chosen using the conclusions of the latest Captain Sensible article and a four-way vote between David, Neale, Paul and Geoff.
Because the use of Fantasy Football Scout data is used so heavily in this process, the captain we choose each Gameweek is usually known only to those who have signed up to Membership for the 2019/20 season and revealed to the public only when the deadline has passed.
Here’s how we voted:
